An Unexpected Beginning
by animezebra
Summary: Nick knew all the signs when it came to him and love, and this? This was not it. Not yet, anyway. Nick/Macy. My submission for suburbs' Pure Horace Mantis first challenge. Sorry about the title; I couldn't come up with a better one.
1. Chapter 1

So this is my response to suburb's awesome challenges. I've never done one before, and I'm super excited. This is also my first fic in the JONAS fandom and a Nick/Macy because the pairing has a special place in my heart. Please tell me what you think! I feel it's too cliché, but I liked it enough to post it anyway. I'm actually worried about characterization, so if you've got comments on that PLEASE share. Hope you like! I was actually inspired by two quotes, so I'll put them both up.

"True love comes quietly, without banners or flashing lights. If you hear bells, get your ears checked." - Erich Segal

"The expected's just the beginning; the unexpected is what changes our lives."- Grey's Anatomy

Disclaimer: I own nothing. It's probably better for the world this way, but it leaves me very unhappy.

* * *

Nick was standing at his locker with his brothers and Stella, when they noticed something unusual: Macy Misa walking by without a smile on her face or an enthusiastic greeting for her best friend or her favorite band.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think she didn't even see us standing here."

Kevin scoffed. "That's impossible, Joe. Macy!"

She snapped out of her trance. "Hey, guys. Sorry, I didn't see you standing there."

Nick looked at her, eyebrows raised. "A little low on the enthusiasm today, Mace. What's up?"

She sighed. "My guidance counselor thinks I need to be more well-rounded if I want to get into a good college, so she wants me to do something not athletic or academic. I was trying to think of activities to join, but I've got nothing."

"What about your JONAS fan club?"

She grinned at the good-natured teasing and gave Joe a light shove. "You know that I'm not the president of the club anymore. And besides, she said it showed a great deal of initiative, leadership, and dedication." She paused before continuing. "She also said it was slightly creepy."

Stella shook her head. "What about art or music?"

"My best drawings are stick figures. And I think we can all agree that music is not my thing."

Kevin leaned against his locker, a thoughtful look on his face. "No, that's not true. We know that singing is not your strong suit. What about an instrument?"

She bit her lip, unsure. "I don't know about that…"

Joe jumped in. "Who knows, you might turn out to be good at it."

"I always wanted to learn how to play the guitar," she admitted shyly. "But where am I going to find a teacher who can work around my sports schedule?"

"I'll do it."

Macy turned slowly, eyes wide. "Really, Nick?"

"Sure. The tour's over, so we've got a little break before we have to start recording for the new album. But I'm not gonna take it easy on you." He added, winking at her. She stuck her tongue out at him, hands on her hips.

"Well, Lucas, don't forget that I'm a nationally ranked athlete in 10 different sports and a straight-A student. I can take a challenge."

A slow smile broke over his face. "Well then, this should be fun." He stuck his hand out, and they shook on it, completely oblivious to the stunned looks on the faces of their friends. Stella managed to shake it off faster than the other two. A high-pitched squeal escaped her, startling the group. Joe clapped his hands over his ears.

"Stella, did you have to do that in my ear?"

The stylist fixed him with a death glare and opened her mouth to reply when the warning bell raing. . "Um Macy, we're going to be late."

Macy's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I have first period with Nick."

"I know. Let's go." Stella dragged her friend away, tossing a knowing smile over her shoulder at Nick.

"We'll meet up later to set up a schedule," he called out. Baffled, he turned to see his brothers smirking at him. "What?"

Joe shook his head. "I never thought I'd see the day."

Kevin. "Me neither, Joseph." Pause. "Wait, are we talking about the same thing?"

"I'm talking about Nick letting Macy near his guitar."

"Ok, good. Just wanted to make sure we were on the same page."

Nick rolled his eyes. "Guys, it's no big deal. She's our friend, she needed help, I offered. That's it." He closed his locker began to walk down the hallway towards his next class.

Joe and Kevin trailed behind him. "Nick, you winked AND smiled at her."

"I've been known to smile on occasion."

Kevin pulled out a notebook. "Let's see. According to my latest tally, you've smiled a total of 5 times."

"Since last week?" Joe asked.

"Since last _year_." Kevin consulted his notes again. "And while most of those smiles were for girls, you definitely have never both winked and smiled at the same girl in one minute."

Joe shook his head, tossing an arm around his brother's shoulder. "Face it, bro, you've got it bad for little Macy Misa."

Nick shook his arm off. "I think by now I'd know what it feels like when I have a crush on someone. Trust me, those are not the feelings I get when I look at Macy. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some lessons to set up." He grabbed the book out of Kevin's arms. "And this is mine, thank you."

He hadn't lied to his brothers. He didn't have the same feelings for Macy that he did for his other crushes. There were no instant connection, fireworks, no butterflies in the stomach, no urge to write a love song or paper his locker with her photographs. Yes, the admiring look in Macy's eyes made him stand up a little straighter. Yes, her hand had fit just right in his. He couldn't deny that she was pretty and smart and funny with enough of a competitive spirit to actually challenge him without being irritating.

But that didn't mean anything. Macy was just a very good friend, and he was helping her out like he would for any friend.

Satisfied, the rock star found a seat in his classroom and began mentally planning out his lessons with Macy, unaware of the slight smile growing on his face as she raced into the room panting seconds before the bell rang.

* * *

A/N: To be clear, I don't want to imply that Nick's already in love with Macy, just that he's starting to develop feelings for her. This could actually be expanded into a fic, and I've got some ideas, but we'll see what people think. My dialogue felt really stiff, but if I don't post this now, I'm never gonna get time. Please review?


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Wow. Just…wow. I can't begin to tell you how honored and excited I am by all the reviews and alerts and favorites. I'm in the middle of midterms, and seeing my inbox with all these emails full of nice things just made me much less stressed. Thank you all so much!!!

For some reason, almost every one of you asked me to continue the fic. I really hadn't planned on it; I kinda liked where it ended. But you guys just made me so happy, so here I am. I really thought about it, and I've planned it out, so now I have no excuse not to finish, lol. It's not going to be long – 5 to 6 chapters, I think. This story is for you guys!

Disclaimer: If JONAS were mine...

* * *

By the end of class, Nick, being Nick and thus obsessively thorough, had already worked out both a lesson plan and schedule and had sent Macy a text message asking her to meet him in the atrium during lunch. He got there a few minutes early and settled down to wait, guitar in hand. He had never really hung out with Macy alone and was looking forward to it. He attributed his anticipation to excitement at sharing the gift of music while helping out a friend. Despite what his brothers kept hinting all morning, there was nothing more going on here, he reassured himself.

"Hey Nick."

He looked up to see her standing at the door of the atrium, fiddling with the edge of her sweater. "Hey Macy. Ready to become a rock star?" He played a complicated riff and raised his eyebrows.

She grinned nervously as she sat down next to him. "Show off. There's no way I'll ever be that good. "

For some reason, that simple compliment meant more to him than the sound of a screaming crowd. "Hey, even rock stars have to start with the basics." He put the guitar down and faced her. "So what do you know about music?"

"Um…what do you mean?"

"You know, chord progressions, key changes, scales, musical notation, syncopation, tempo, all that basic stuff."

Her wide eyes and silence gave him his answer. "Okay. Tell me what you do know, and we'll go from there."

"I know that there's a melody…and notes…and a beat?" she offered weakly.

He paused and looked at the stack of notes next to him. "I think we've got more work than I expected."

Macy bit her lip. "Nick, I'm sorry. You're already so busy, and I don't want to give you more work than you have to. Maybe we should just forget it."

He frowned, disturbed by the sudden lack of cheerfulness on her face. "Macy, it's fine. I may be busy, but you should know I always make time to help my friends. Besides, now you've given me a challenge. Before we're done, you're going to know everything there is to know about music."

She raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

"Yes it is. But don't worry; I'll start slow. This is a guitar." he gestured to the instrument on his lap. "You play it like this." He plucked at a couple of strings.

She rolled her eyes, but the sparkle in her eye was back. "Did Nick Lucas actually crack a joke?"

"Thank you, I'll be here all week." He had no idea where the corny lines were coming from. It was not like him to even attempt to be funny, but as he watched the tension slip away from her, he decided to think about doing it more often.

"There are 6 strings, and each string corresponds to a note. E, A, D, G, B, and E again." He played each string as he said its name.

"If there are only 6 strings, how do you get the other notes?" She asked with a curious expression.

"Good question. See these little ridges on the neck? They're called frets, and when you hold the string down there, you can get different notes."

He explained the different parts of the guitar and was about to begin a quick lecture on notes and scales when he noticed Macy's attention drifting. He snapped his fingers in front of her. She jumped, smiling sheepishly when she realized where she was. "Sorry."

"It's okay. Am I boring you?"

"Oh, not at all," she giggled slightly. "It's just that I tend to be a hands-on learner. That's why sports come easily and history doesn't. "

He mulled that over for a second. "Ok then, let's try something different." He unhooked his shoulder strap and held out his guitar. "Why don't you try it out?"

"Oh, no, I don't think I'm ready for that yet." She shook her head quickly, backing up on the bench. But he was insistent.

"You just said that you learn better by actually doing stuff. And besides, all the explanations in the world won't matter if you don't actually play. Come on. I trust you with it." He was surprised to realize it wasn't a reassuring lie. His guitar was one of his most prized possessions, and he wasn't comfortable with just anyone handling it. But he trusted Macy, and the glow on her face told him that he was doing the right thing.

She gingerly wrapped a hand around the guitar neck and settled it in her lap. He had to smile at the sight. "I think it's a little too big for you, but it'll work for now." He handed her a pick. "Now play each string and tell me what the notes are." She hesitated but managed to name each note as she plucked it. "Good. Now try to play an F. All you have do is press down on the first fret of the E string and play."

She winced at the sound. "That didn't sound like anything."

He chuckled. "You've got to press harder." He moved behind her and put his arms over hers, pushing down on her fingers and idly noticing how small her hands were compared to his. "Now play."

"Hey, I did it!" She turned to smile at him, and his breath caught slightly. Their faces were much closer than he had realized, and the shock made him jerk back, pulse jumping.

"Nick? You okay?"

The concerned look in her eyes brought him out of his daze. "Yeah, um…yeah. Sorry got lost for a second." He glanced at his watch, trying to re-orient himself. "Wow, lunch is almost over. Guess we've got to pack up."

"Already? That flew by." She watched as he packed up his guitar and pulled out a folder with her name on it, handing it to her.

"Inside the folder's a schedule of when I'm free for the next couple of months. You figure out what times work for you and let me know. Now for your homework I want you memorize the diagram on the basic notes. It's in the front of the folder along with notes on what we covered today and what we'll do later on."

She looked over the thick packet with resignation. "As if I don't have enough homework. When did you even find time to do this? Next thing I know, you're going to be quizzing me?"  
"That's not a bad idea," he mused. The exasperated look on her face made him smirk. "Hey, I told you I wasn't going to take it easy on you."

Her chin went up in the air defiantly. "And I told you that I'm always ready for a challenge. Bring it on, Lucas."

He had to grin as she marched away. Macy was petite, but she was most definitely a fighter. Not even being in the presence of a JONAS could bring down her competitive spirit. Now he just had to find a way to get her to put that passion into learning how to play. It wouldn't be easy, but he would figure it out.

After all, he never backed down from a challenge, and he had a feeling that Macy Misa was going to be his biggest one yet.

* * *

A/N: So there we have it. I took chorus for years, but I know nothing about music theory, so I had to do some research. Correct me if I used the wrong term or made a stupid error, please. Oh, and review? Constructive criticism, advice, whatever, just please tell me what you think!!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thanks for the reviews and the alerts guys! You have no idea how happy it makes me to see that you guys actually like my stuff. I'm having a blast writing this story, so my homework has been suffering, but it's worth it, lol. Here's the next chapter. I think I like it better than the others, but I'd love to hear what you guys think, so please review! This chapter is shorter than the others, but it lays some groundwork for the next chapter plus has some nice fluff to remind me of what it's like to have those middle school and high school crushes, lol.

Disclaimer: I don't own JONAS. If I did, let me tell you, I wouldn't be slaving my way through college right now, lol.

A month had gone by with them meeting twice a week after school in the atrium, and Nick had to admit that he was impressed with Macy. The guitar wasn't coming easily to her, but she was determined to succeed, attacking each lesson until she had perfected it. She was so focused on the lesson that her nervousness at being near a JONAS had quickly faded. (Although she did have her moments, like that time she found him working on a new song and singing out loud. It took him 10 minutes to wake her up, and she was so embarrassed that he teased her for the rest of the week.) Despite that little mishap, he was very proud of how far she had come. Yes, the lessons meant a lot of extra work for him, but the look of complete joy on her face when she finally managed to play her scales correctly made it completely worth it.

"That was awesome, Mace. You're really coming along."

She glowed under the rare praise. "Really? Thanks! I thought I'd never get it."

He shut the guitar case and looked up at her. "Well you did. Shows that hard work pays off."

Suddenly, Macy's stomach growled. He chuckled at the bright red flush on her face. "Hungry?"

"A little," she admitted. "I had to get here early for some extra basketball practice and to work on some plays with the coach for our next game. Then I missed lunch because I had to make up an Algebra quiz that I completely bombed."

Nick's brow furrowed as he observed her more closely. There were circles under her eyes that he hadn't noticed before, and now that he thought about it, he couldn't remember the last time she had sat with their friends for lunch or if he had even talked to her outside of their lessons. She was obviously stressed out, and he felt a little guilty for how hard he had been working her for their lessons.

"Macy," he hesitated before going on. "You look like you've got a lot on your plate right now. Are you sure you want to keep going with our lessons? We can put it off for a little while."

Her head snapped up. "No!" she exclaimed, eyes wide. His surprise must have shown on his face because she continued in a much calmer voice. "Yes I'm a little stressed out, but I can handle it. I really don't want to quit these lessons. I never thought I'd be able to do anything musically, and here I am learning how to play guitar from a JONAS and actually getting somewhere! It just really makes me happy, and besides, I like spending time with you." She stopped and bit her lip, looking at him shyly.

He couldn't help the pleased smile that grew on his face at her words. He wouldn't admit it but Macy's lessons were definitely his favorite times of the week, and he'd hate to give up teaching her.

His lack of response must have made her a little anxious. "Unless you want to stop?" she asked, uncertainty in her eyes.

"No!" He answered immediately before collecting himself. He rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish look on his face. She giggled nervously and fiddled with her charm bracelet. The two sat for a moment in silence, stealing furtive glances at each other before looking away. Nick broke the moment and stood up.

"So that's settled. We're continuing. Now let's get something to eat."

Macy sighed. "Nick, I really can't. I've got so much homework to catch up on, and I'm working at my mom's store tonight and—"

He cut her off with a stern look in his eyes. "If you're going to take on this much, you need to make sure you eat. And since you don't take care of it, I will. Now come on, it'll be my treat."

She looked at his outstretched hand and then up at him with eyes with conflicting emotions he wasn't he understood. But then she smiled and grabbed his hand, standing up. "You win this round, Lucas."

He smirked at her as he picked up her backpack and opened the door of the atrium for her. "You may have met your match, Macy Misa. I never lose."

She rolled her eyes. "There's a first time for everything." They began to walk down the hallway. "So where are we going?"

"I don't know; what do you want to eat?"  
She paused and thought for a second. "I mean, if we're going to eat out, isn't it going to be hard to find a place that doesn't have paparazzi, screaming fan girls, and had a menu that won't interfere with your diabetes?"

He grinned at her, both touched and amused by her concerns. "Don't worry; we've got a couple of safe spots in town. I'll just let Big Man know where we're eating, and he'll take care of it. Does Chinese sound good?"  
"Excellent. By the way, I know your mother raised you to be a gentleman, but I can carry my own books."

"I know, you're a strong, capable, independent woman," he teased. "But part of having friends means letting them carry your burdens once in a while."

Her silence made him curious, and he glanced at her. He could have sworn he saw a hint of tears in her eyes before she blinked and threw him her brightest smile. "You've got a way with words, Nick Lucas."

The warmth that shot through him at her expression unsettled him. Trying to lighten the mood, he shrugged and smirked, popping his collar. "It's what I do." He paused. "That was actually a pretty good idea for a song…"

She laughed and grabbed his arm. "Oh no you don't. If you start to write, I'll never get to eat. Let's go. You're driving."

Sighing dramatically, he let her pull him out the door. As much as he wanted to sit down and write what was shaping up (in his head anyway) to be their next number one hit, right now Macy needed him, and if that meant putting off a writing session, he'd do it.

Because that's what he did for his friends, he reminded his pulse, which had started skipping at Macy's touch. And Macy was his friend. Nothing more.

She tugged at his hand. "Come on!" He glanced into her brown eyes and swallowed hard.

Just friends. He told himself one more time and headed to his car.

A/N: There ya go. I hate the ending, but I couldn't figure out how to finish it. The next chapter will be up soon. PLEASE review and tell me what you think!!!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Okay, so here's the next chapter. Sorry it took so long; it was really hard to write!! This chapter is filler and meant to set the scene for what's coming next. The next chapter is already halfway done, so be assured when you read this kind of boring chapter that a much better one is coming, lol. I'm not happy with this one; I don't feel like it flows very well, so please review and tell me how I can fix it!!

Special note to Freaskishlyobsessedwithmovies: So sorry about the half-finished review reply. I accidentally hit the send button, lol. I tried to send you a message, but I don't think you have PM enabled. My bad!!!

Disclaimer: Don't own JONAS. Don't own much of anything, really. Bummer…

* * *

The next two months flew by, and Nick found himself spending more and more time with Macy. They had fallen into the habit of going out for food after they had finished their lessons, and slowly their conversations began to shift from school and guitar to other things. The more he learned about her, the more convinced he was that Macy Misa was not like all the girls he had met.

And that, he admited to himself, wasn't a bad thing.

"So Nicky, where's your girlfriend?"

He slammed his locker shut, tossing a glare at Joe. "Don't call me Nicky. And Macy is not my girlfriend."

Joe opened his eyes wide, the picture of innocence. "When did I say anything about Macy? You just assumed."

"And we all know what assuming does," Kevin added knowingly.

Nick threw him a skeptical glance. "Do you really Kevin?"

He paused. "You know, I really don't…"

Nick groaned and pushed past the two of them. "Guys, this is seriously getting old. Let it go."

Kevin patted him on his shoulder. "It's kinda hard not to wonder when you spend more time with Macy than with anyone else."

"That's not true."

Joe smirked. "Really? Where were you yesterday afternoon?"

"With Macy for her lesson."

"Oh, I see. And…what about at lunch yesterday?"

"I was studying in the library." Joe stared at him with raised eyebrows, and he swallowed. "With Macy."

"Uh-huh." He crossed his arms across his chest smugly. "And where are you going right now?"

"To meet Macy. She forgot her biology textbook in my car the other day," he muttered through clenched teeth.

"I rest my case."

"Nicely played, Joseph."

"Why, thank you Kevin."

Nick rolled his eyes at the two as they traded high-fives. "So I spend a lot of time with her. Friends do that. It doesn't mean that I like her that way."

Kevin traded knowing glances with Joe and patted him on the shoulder. "If you say so, little bro. But if you could see the way you look at her, I think you'd change your mind."

They walked away, leaving Nick staring at their retreating backs, Kevin's words on his mind. He was willing to acknowledge that Macy had become very important to him. By nature reserved and focused, his career had only made him more wary of allowing people to come too close to him. But somehow, in the past few months, Macy had managed to climb over all the walls he put up. A day when he hadn't spoken to her, seen her smile or heard her laugh just didn't seem right.

He wasn't sure when Macy moved from the periphery of his life to the center, but the truth was, he wasn't sure if he could go without her now.

A familiar voice interrupted his train of thought.

"What do you mean you can't?"

He automatically flinched. It was Stella, and she didn't sound happy. He had learned early on in their friendship that it was in his best interests to stay out of her way when she got that tone in her voice. He peered around the corner to see the stylist standing at Macy's locker, eyes narrowed.

Macy, you're can't cancel on me again. That's the third time this month. We haven't had a chance to hang out in forever!"

Macy sighed and leaned against the wall of lockers, books clutched to her chest. "I know, and I'm so sorry. I'm just really with sports, school, guitar and both jobs it's a little hectic right now."

Both jobs? What did she mean by that?

Stella visibly softened at the sight of her stressed out best friend. "Don't you think you're taking on too much, Macy? You really don't need to be working at that store."

Macy had been mentioned work, but he had assumed that he meant her mother's thrift shop. Why would she need another job?

"Stella. We've had this discussion already. I need to pay Nick back for those lessons. He's even letting me borrow his old guitar until I can get my own. I can't let him do all of this work for nothing."

"But look at you. You're always tired and stressed. You never have time to hang out with your friends anymore. All your coaches are worried about you because you're not as good as you usually are." She held up a piece of paper. "And you failed your last English quiz even though English is your favorite subject."

Macy snatched the quiz from her. "Have you been going through my stuff?"

"Well, yes, but don't try to change the subject. The point is you can't keep going like this. Sooner or later you're going to burn out."

The athlete smiled wearily. "I really appreciate you looking out for me, but don't worry. I can handle this."

"But Macy…"

"Stella." Nick winced. Once Macy started talking with that firm voice, he knew she wasn't going to budge. Stella apparently recognized it too.

"Okay, fine. But if I catch you falling asleep in class again, we're going to have to re-evaluate this whole situation."

Macy's laughter echoed. "Yes, Mother." The two girls walked off, not noticing a stunned Nick standing at the end of the corridor.

How had he not seen this happening? Yes, he had noticed that Macy was a little more tired and spacey than usual, but he had dismissed it, not thinking much of it. He had never dreamed that Macy would be working herself to the bone just to pay him back. He didn't want any money; he wasn't doing this for any reason but to help a friend out. But Macy was far too independent for her own good.

He ran his hands through his hair in frustration. Even from all the way down the hall, Nick had seen the worry on Stella's face and wanted to kick himself. He was probably the person Macy saw most often; he should have seen how overwhelmed she was and set her straight, no matter how much she fought him.

He had to do something to fix this. What exactly, he wasn't sure, but Macy needed him, even if she wasn't willing to admit it, and he couldn't let her down.

* * *

A/N: So there ya have it. No Nick/Macy interaction in this chapter, but the next one will more than make up for it, trust me. Anyone want to try to guess how Nick is going to try to help her? I'd love to hear them (although I won't tell you if you're right, lol).


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: So this is going to be a long chapter (5 and half pages on word single-spaced haha). I could have broken it up, but I already left you guys hanging with the last chapter. I couldn't do that again, so…well here we are. After this, there's one more chapter, and surprisingly a big chunk of it is already written, so the story should be wrapped up soon. I hope you all like it!!! That was so much fun to write; I think that's why this chapter is so long, lol. I love alerts and favorites, but it would be nice to know why you liked it, so if you've got a second, please review and tell me what you think!

Disclaimer: Don't own Jonas. If I did…sigh, only if.

* * *

Nick Lucas was not one to make rash decisions. He believed in weighing options, in thinking before leaping. But once he had picked a path, there was pretty much nothing that could stop him from going down it. So once he decided to help Macy, he went to work. He recruited Stella and (reluctantly) his brothers to help him think of ideas.

"Since when are you the knight in shining armor?" Joe had joked. Nick had gritted his teeth to avoid snapping when Stella came to his rescue, glaring the older boy into silence.

"I think this is really sweet, Nick, and even though I shouldn't be betraying her confidence by helping you, I'm really worried about her. But you know how stubborn Macy is. She's determined to pay you back."

They brainstormed for hours, and Nick was ready to just give up and confront Macy, no matter the consequences, when his eyes fell on a magazine lying on the coffee table. A slow grin crossed his face.

"Guys, I think I've got it."

A bunch of favors had to be called in, and he had had to sit through a very embarrassing talk with his parents who only got on board after he explained the situation. (The adults had exchanged looks before Mrs. Lucas burst into tears and hugged Nick to her, blubbering about how her baby was growing up. Mr. Lucas just laughed at the dumbfounded look on his son's face and shook his head, muttering something about denial before clapping a hand on his shoulder.)

A week later, everything was ready. The only thing left to do was talk to Macy. He was sure that if he took a little time to think, he'd come up with the perfect plan.

So he wasn't quite sure how he had ended up in front of the smoothie shop where Macy worked three days a week. He had wheedled the information out of Stella, but now he was having second thoughts. What would he say to her? It had been a stupid idea, and he was about to get back in his car and go back home when Macy spied him through the window. The startled look on her face faded to one of suspicion, and he sighed. There was no way he could explain this away, so he might as well do what he came here to do.

After making sure his hat and sunglasses were secure, he walked into the some, trying not to smile at the pink plastic apron she was wearing over her uniform. She had been cleaning tables and left her rag on the counter as she greeted him.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, confusion all over her face.

He smiled nervously, deeply regretting his impulsiveness. He was the methodical one: Joe was the one who lived moment to moment. How was he going to do this? For all his preparation, he hadn't planned this far ahead.

"Um…hi."

She gave him a strained smile. "While I'd love to stand here and chat, I'm kinda busy, so do you want a smoothie, or did you need something from me?"

"Well…I have something I want to show you."

"Right now? Nick, I'm working!"

"Just come with me, please?" he pleaded. She looked into his eyes and sighed. "Marty, I'm taking a break."

A nasal voice floated from the back. "Fine, but if you're not back in 10 minutes, I'm going to have to dock your pay."

She rolled her eyes. "Got it," She called out and grabbed Nick's arm, dragging him out the front door.

"How did you know I worked here?"

"Stella told me. Which is more than I can say for you. Why didn't you tell me that you had another job?"  
She sighed and tucked a piece of hair behind her ears. "It's not a big deal. This is only a temporary job. I need some extra cash. Now why are you here?"

He noticed the subject change but let it go. They'd get to that later anyway. "I need to show you something."

"What was so important that you couldn't wait?"  
He gestured to his car, which had been parked right out front. "It's in the back seat. Go ahead and take a look."

She stared at the car door for a second before looking up at Nick. "What is wrong with you?"

He shrugged. This was beyond nerve-wracking, but he couldn't help but chuckle slightly at Macy's bluntness. "I promise there is a point to all of this. Now can you just please open it?"

She let out a heavy sigh and reached for the handle, pulling the door open. "A guitar case. Nice."

His nerves were wound so tightly that he couldn't laugh at her sarcasm. "Open it."

"If this is supposed to help me with my lessons, I think I know what a guitar looks like by now…" She trailed off as she stared inside the open case. "Wow. It's…oh my gosh, it's beautiful."

"Do you…" his voice cracked. "Do you want to try it?"

"I can touch it?" Her voice was near a whisper, and he had to smile at the surprise in her voice.

"Yeah, go ahead."

With trembling fingers, she gently picked up the shining new acoustic guitar and cradled it in her arms, slipping the strap over her head. "It's gorgeous." His smile grew as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a pick, softly strumming "Listen to that. I didn't know that guitars could sound like that."

The look of quiet rapture on her face gave him the little boost of courage he needed. "Look at the top of the body of the guitar. There's a little inscription."

She gave him a curious look but obligingly squinted at the gold lettering. He couldn't take his eyes off her, waiting for the moment when she would realize…there it was, the shocked expression.

"That's my name."

Unable to speak, he just nodded.

"This…if for me?" She asked faintly.

"Yeah." He managed to squeeze out a monosyllable.

"…Is that why it's purple?"

"That's your favorite color, right?" There, a full sentence. This was getting easier.

"Why?"

"You know that these lessons are just a friend helping a friend out, right?" The confused look on her face didn't leave. He tried again. "You don't have to pay me for them."

Her eyebrows lowered. "How did you know?

He sighed and explained how he had overheard her and Stella a week ago. "I don't know. It just bothered me to see you working yourself too hard. I'm your friend, Macy. I wanted to help you out. I have no idea why you went all crazy with this overachiever thing, but you don't need to. At all."

She absorbed his words silently before looking down at the guitar. "And the guitar?"

"Well, I heard you say you wanted one of your own, and I figured that if you had one and I could convince you that you didn't need to pay me back, you wouldn't need to work at this extra job and could go back to your normal schedule." This seemed so much easier in his head, without Macy's eyes fixed on his face. The dazed expression had faded, and for once, he couldn't tell what she was thinking.

After a second, she unhooked the strap and carefully placed the guitar back in its case. "Nick, this is the nicest thing that anyone has ever done for me…but I can't accept this."

"Yes you can."

She shook her head and backed away. "It must have cost a ridiculous amount of money. I've almost got enough to buy this used guitar from someone at school. That's good enough."

"Macy, just take it. It's a gift from me to you." Why did she have to be so stubborn?

"I know, and I appreciate it, but—"

The stress of the past week combined with the tangle of nerves in his stomach and he snapped. He growled and grabbed her shoulders. "Macy! Stop trying to do this on your own!"

She let loose a sharp breath, startled at his harsh voice. "But—"

"No. No buts. Just this once, let somebody do something nice for you." He swallowed. He was the JONAS who was good with words; why was he so tongue-tied right now? The words weren't coming out right, but he knew that he had to keep going. "It's been killing me to know that you've been working yourself to the bone for something that I could have helped you out with, and I didn't even notice. I'm not trying to patronize you; I know you push yourself to be the best and to stand on your own, and that's a good thing most of the time. But I couldn't stand to see you so stressed and tired and generally not Macy. Just…please, let me help you." He ended weakly, but he didn't move, just kept looking straight into her eyes.

Suddenly she was wrapped around him, her face buried in his neck. The hot tears hitting his skin alarmed him, and he awkwardly put his arms around her, patting her on the back.

"Macy, please don't cry. I'm sorry if I said something to offend you or you don't like the gift, I just…"

She let loose a shaky laugh and pulled back a little, wiping at her face. "No, no, you didn't do anything wrong. It's just…that was the sweetest thing ever."

He smiled bashfully. "Yeah well, I have my moments."

"Definitely one of your better ones."

The warmth in her eyes as she gazed at him made him feel 10 feet tall. "So you like it?

"It's amazing." She grinned up at him. "How am I ever going to repay you?"

He smiled softly at her, pushing strands of hair away from the side of her face as she looked up at him. "No payment needed. It's part of my job. Rock star and high school student by day, knight in shining armor at night." His thumbs gently brushed against the dark circles under her eyes, sending a wave of…something, but definitely not sparks…down his back.

"You're pretty awesome, Nick."

He shrugged. "I get that a lot."

Instead of the snappy comeback he expected, she just smiled at him. "I know. Thanks for taking care of me."

He swallowed, his mouth suddenly feeling like cotton. His arms were still around Macy, and he was suddenly very aware of the warmth of her body so near his. Why was his heart racing all of a sudden? He couldn't move; he wasn't even sure he was breathing.

"Nick, I—"

"See we missed it!" The two jumped apart and turned to see Stella, Kevin and Joe spilling from the smoothie shop, frowns on their faces. Stella rolled her eyes, arms crossed as she glared at both boys. "I told you to wait, that we could get smoothies after. But no. You needed them right then, and now we've missed the whole thing."

Joe slurped at his Blueberry Banana Smash. "Yeah Kevin. It's all your fault."

"Hey, it wasn't my idea."

Nick broke into the argument. "Who said you could follow me in the first place?"

"Once again, not my idea!" Kevin clutched at his head. "Ooh, brain freeze!"

Macy was laughing at her friends' antics when she glanced at her watch and gasped.

"Oh no, I've been out here for almost half an hour! Marty's gonna kill me," she moaned. Nick sighed and grabbed her arm as she began to dash into the store.

"Now that you have the guitar and we've established that you're not going to pay me for these lessons," he raised an eyebrow at her and waited to see her nod shamefacedly before continuing. "Why don't you just quit? It's not like you need the money. You can work for your mom."

"Nick, I can't just quit."

He wasn't having any of it. "You've got sports, your grades, a part-time job, and a hobby as a musician. Don't you think that's enough?"

"Well, when you put it that way…I was overworking myself wasn't I?"

Stella rolled her eyes and nudged her best friend in the arm. "You fell asleep and nearly fell out of your desk in class the other day, so I'd say, just a little."

"Sleep would be nice." She laughed and leaned against the car. "I have to be honest. I'm so glad that I don't have to work here anymore. I was never a big fan of smoothies, and after the past couple of months, just the smell of mango guava blitz makes me want to throw up. Plus, I hate pink." She took off her apron and regarded it with an air of disgust.

"Well, then, I'm glad to have helped out. Two for the price of one. You owe me big, Misa."

She stuck her tongue at him saucily and marched inside to deal with her boss while the rest of them waited by Nick's car.

Stella daintily sipped at her Strawberry Kiwi Paradise and looked sideways at Nick. "So, Prince Charming, what now?"

"What do you mean?" He had no idea what the expectant look on Stella's face meant. He wasn't exactly proficient at understanding the female mind, and Stella wasn't known for her patience.

To his surprise, she just sighed and patted Nick on the head. "Boys are so clueless." She spotted her best friend come out of the store without her apron and hat and walked toward her to chat.

Nick turned to his brothers. "Did you have any idea what she was talking about?"

"Nope. Joe's the one who can speak Stella."

Joe flicked his hair out of his eyes. "It wasn't exactly clear, but I'm pretty sure she was asking about your feelings for Macy."

Nick groaned. He knew that there was something between him and Macy, but that wasn't something to discuss with other people. He had to figure out exactly what it was himself first. "Guys, can you please just drop that?"

Kevin sighed. "Nick, we're your brothers. If you like Macy, that's cool. Just…don't spend all your time staring out your windshield looking for love when it's waiting in the passenger seat."

Complete silence.

"Wow, Kevin…that was…"

"Deep," Joe finished. "There's no way you came up with that on your own."

Stella called him over before he registered the slightly hurt look on his older brother's face. Kevin sighed and turned back to Nick. "I know how much that guitar cost. You don't buy things like that for people unless they mean something to you.

"Look at her. What do you see?"

"I see…Macy."

Kevin slapped him across the head. "No. What do you see? What makes Macy so special?"  
He sighed and turned around. Macy was standing by the car door, chatting animatedly to Stella. There was no angelic glow or music in the background or a wind conveniently blowing her hair around in a ridiculously attractive manner. It was just her. That was the great thing about Macy. She was always herself (once she got over her crazy obsession with JONAS). He found himself thinking about all the things that made her special to him… her laugh, her determination, her amazing athletic talent, her weird taste in pizza, the way she fit in his arms so well, her comfort in her own skin, her loyalty to her friends, how she could wear sweats and a t-shirt and still look gorgeous, and how just spending time with her made life seem a little brighter.

And when she turned around and smiled shyly at him, it hit him like a blow to the stomach.

"Whoa," he whispered, unable to look away.

Kevin grinned, clearly pleased at the prospect of being able to say, "I told you so" to his nearly-genius brother. "Told you."

"How could I not see this coming?"

"We did try to tell you. You were too busy thinking about Macy to think about why you were thinking about her. "

Nick paused. "In some weird way, that makes sense."

"Thank you." The older boy examined the bottom of his smoothie cup to see if there was any left. "So what are you going to do now?"

Still dazed, he shook his head, still staring at Macy. "I have no idea."

* * *

A/N: So there you go—the gift, plenty of Nick/Macy moments, Kevin/Joe/Stella involvement, and FINALLY Nick's realization. Action-packed chapter! I've been told that it's easiest for guys when we tell them exactly what we want, and in the last chapter, she did say that she wanted a guitar! For those of you who think Nick's gift is a little extravagant and that the whole thing is kinda dramatic…I agree with you. I just really liked the idea, so I'm keeping it, but next chapter I'll be able to explain my reasoning a bit. Let me know what you think in a REVIEW!!!!


	6. Chapter 6

A/N I am a terrible person for making all of you wait this long (if any of you are still reading). School has not been nice to me, and I'm terribly sorry. But I've finally wrapped this up! Thanks to all of you who have been keeping up with this story and those who have reviewed and put it on their favorites and story alerts. It means SO much to me. Thanks!! I'd like to dedicate this chapter to **Poet on the Run** and **Wyszlo**, who have been faithful readers and wonderful reviewers. It was the thought of the two of you that pushed me to finish. Thanks so much!

Random note: I have an alternate version of this chapter. I couldn't decide which one I liked better but ended up going this one. If anyone is interested in reading the alternate version, let me know.

Disclaimer: I don't own JONAS. Way to depress me.

* * *

"So, little brother. Any plans for today?"

Nick barely glanced at Joe as he checked the assignments for the night. "Nothing but homework. Why?"

"I was just wondering if you were planning on hanging out with Macy."

He rolled his eyes. Joe was as subtle as a freight train. "She's got tennis today."

"Oh, I see." Joe casually shifted his notebook. "So have you talked to her lately?"

He was not going to give in. "Yeah."

"And have any of these conversations been particularly…revealing?"

"Not really."

Joe sighed, his limited patience giving out. "Will you just admit you're in love with her?"

"Because it's complicated." He opened his locker with a little more force than necessary, trying to control his temper. He really didn't appreciate everyone on his back about this; he wasn't ready to tell her yet. If she didn't feel the same, he'd lose her, and that was something he couldn't even begin to comprehend. "Can you just let it go?"

"Nicholas Lucas!"

He stiffened. Joe smirked at him. "Don't tell me you're scared of little Macy."

"Little Macy can pack quite a punch, Joseph." She stood in front of him with a fierce glare. "Now, unless you want a demonstration, I suggest you leave. I've got a bone to pick with your little brother."

Wide-eyed, Joe scrambled to grab his books. "Good luck, bro." He slipped away, leaving Nick to deal with an angry Macy.

"What's up, Mace?" He was honestly confused. What could he possibly have done?

"What's up?" She poked a finger in his chest. "What's up is that I just found out some interesting information about my new guitar!"

"Oh?" He swallowed a little nervously. He had a feeling where this was going, and he didn't like it. "And what information was that?"

"That it's a Taylor series GS, one of the best guitar brands out there. It also happens to be one of the most expensive, and that's without being customized!"

She really wasn't supposed to find out like this. Actually, he'd have preferred that she never found out exactly how much money he spent on the gift.

She pinned him with her gaze, arms crossed. "Well?"

He shrugged. "What do you want me to say?"

She threw her arms in the air. "I want to know why you spent so much money on a gift for me! I didn't need anything this fancy."

"Macy, money's not an issue with me. You know that."

"Just because you make millions of dollars doesn't mean you should spend it on random gifts."

Her comments stung a little bit, and he couldn't help the snap in his voice as he answered her. "I'm sorry for trying to do something nice for you. If it bothers you so much, you can give it back, and I'll figure out what to do with it." He slammed his locker closed.

She sighed and leaned against the lockers. "I'm sorry, Nick," she said in a softer voice. "I didn't mean to come across like I didn't appreciate it. It's the most amazing thing anyone has ever done for me."

Her soft smile sent his stomach into knots. "It wasn't a big deal."

"Yes, it was. Believe me." She took a deep breath. "I just don't understand why you would do something like that for me. I mean, I'm just another super fan who goes to your school."

"Macy, you're so much more than just another fangirl to me."

"Really?" All her anger faded away as she looked him in the eye, and he held back a smile at the hopeful expression in her face.

"You're one of my best friends. I don't know what I'd do without you." He had to laugh at the beaming smile on her face. "I bought you that guitar because I wanted to. Because you're special to me. And because I know you'll use it and take care of it. That's it."

"But…"

"No buts. It was a gift from me to you." He smirked at her. "I'm just as stubborn as you are, and I'm not giving in, so you might as well."

"Fine, but I'm not happy. Pull another stunt like this, and I won't give in as easily." She narrowed her eyes at him, but he saw the smile tugging at the corner of her lips and knew he had won.

"Duly noted." The two began to walk down the hallway when he noticed Macy fighting back another smile. He raised an eyebrow.

"Um, what are you laughing at?"

She shook her head, her braids swinging. "It's just…I heard Kevin, Joe and Stella talking this morning. They were saying how you have habit of making big gestures for girls you fall for, like writing a song. Then Kevin told Stella all that stuff about the guitar and said that you've never done anything this big and that must mean that…well, you know." She laughed nervously, picking at the end of her sweater. "Sorry I shouldn't have brought it up. I just thought it was kinda funny to think that you would even think of me that way."

His mind was whirling. She really couldn't have given him a better opening, and he'd be stupid not to take it. If he didn't know better, he'd think that…

He took in her sideways glances and her fidgeting hands, and it dawned on him that she was as nervous as she was. Maybe he had a better chance that he thought…

Well, the only way to know for sure is to try...and he knew that if he missed this chance, he'd be kicking himself forever.

He took a deep breath, wiped his suddenly sweating palms against his jeans and went for it.

"Would it be that weird?"

She stopped and stared at him with wide eyes. "Huh?"

"Would it be that weird if I…well, felt that way about you?"

"Oh…um, is that a hypothetical question?"

"What would you say if I said it wasn't?"

With that she shot him a look. "If you're not going to give me a straight answer, I'm not having this conversation."

He ran his hand through his curls. "Okay…it wasn't a hypothetical question."

"Oh…" She looked like the wind had been knocked out of her. "So you…have feelings…the romantic kind…for me?"

He nodded jerkily.

"For…how long?

His throat was tight as he tried to speak. It wasn't going the way he had imagined…somehow he had thought that he would be a little smoother than this. "I don't know. I normally fall at first sight, but with you…I didn't even know that I was falling for you until I was head over heels."

"Oh my…You're not joking, are you?" She spoke in a hushed whisper, her eyes beginning to shine.

His hands had found their way to hers, and he intertwined their fingers, tugging her closer to him. "Is that okay?"

Caught up in the intensity of the moment, she just nodded, a flush rising in her cheeks.

The relief that flooded through Nick stunned him. After all this time of hiding from his own feelings, he hadn't known how much he had wanted…no, _needed_ Macy to feel the same.

Just in case, he decided to clarify. "So…that means that…we're dating now, right?"

"Are you asking me to be your girlfriend?" she asked breathlessly.  
"Well, yes."

The brilliant, shy smile that grew on her face conveyed more than any words could. "Okay."

"Really?" He felt like he could fly at the adoration in her eyes.

"Yeah."

With each word, they had moved closer to each other until his face was hovering over hers, their eyes locked.

"Can I kiss you?" He whispered, his breath brushing against her cheek.

"What are you waiting for?" She whispered back. He smiled slowly and moved to touch his lips to hers.

A sharp ringing broke the moment and startled the couple back into the real world.

"What was that?" Macy gasped.

He groaned as he realized what it was and dropped his head against Macy's, who was looking equally frustrated.

"It's my brothers. They're waiting for me outside. We've got rehearsal with the band."

"They have the worst timing," she grumbled.

He laughed softly and pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead. As he pulled away, he smiled gently at her.

"We've got time," he murmured. "Let's take this slow, okay?"

"Okay. But not too slow, right?" She flushed but couldn't hide the anticipation in her eyes, and it sent shivers down his back.

"If you keep looking at me like that, I won't be able to help myself," he warned her, and she giggled.

"I've never had this kind of power over a guy. It's kind of exciting."

He groaned again. This girl was going to be the death of him. "Come on, let's go before Joe and Kevin actually come looking for us."

It wasn't how he expected to fall in love. No bells or insane song-writing sessions, or locker plastered with pictures. She wasn't the girl he had dreamed of. But as they walked down the hall, he decided that the unexpected worked out pretty well. After all, no dream girl could even come close to the very real one walking next to him, her hand fitting perfectly in his.

* * *

A/N: Finally done, and I'm kinda happy with the results, :) I know that a Taylor guitar really is pretty expensive, but I don't know much about other guitar brands, so if others cost more, please correct me! Oh, and please, please review! Any kind of review is MUCHO appreciated! Thanks for sticking with me people!


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